Petunia plant named ‘Cobink’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Cobink’, characterized by its mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely and continuous branching habit; and numerous pink double flowers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petuniaplant, botanically known as Petunia axillaris, and hereinafter referredto by the cultivar name Cobink.

The new Petunia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia. The new Petuniaoriginated from a cross made by the Inventor in 1997 of a proprietaryselection of Petunia axillaris identified as X96.410.1 as the female, orseed, parent with the Petunia axillaris cultivar Silk Road, U.S. Plantpatent application Ser. No. 09/450,095, as the male, or pollen, parent.The new Petunia was selected on the basis of its flower form, flowercolor and spreading growth habit.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken atCobbitty, New South Wales, Australia, has shown that the unique featuresof this new Petunia are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Cobink have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity,daylength, and fertility level without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Cobink’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Cobink’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Freely and continuous branching habit.

3. Numerous double pink flowers.

Compared to plants of the single-flowered female parent, the selectionX96.410.1, plants of the new cultivar have darker pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the male parent, the cultivar Silk Road, differ from plants ofthe new cultivar primarily in flower color as plants of ‘Silk Road’ havewhite-colored flowers.

Plants of the cultivar Cobink are similar in flower color to plants ofthe single-flowered cultivar Cascadia Charme, not patented. However inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of thecultivar Cobink differ from plants of the cultivar Cascadia Charme inthe following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Petunia are more compact than of plants of thecultivar Cascadia Charme.

2. Plants of the new Petunia have slightly smaller leaves and shorterinternodes than plants of Cascadia Charme.

3. Plants of the new Petunia flower somewhat later than plants of thecultivar Cascadia Charme.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actualcolors.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof three typical plants of ‘Cobink’ grown in a 25-cm container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises close-up views oftypical flower buds, open flowers and leaves of ‘Cobink’ (left side ofphotograph) and ‘Cascadia Charme’ (right side of photograph).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and values describe plants ofthe new cultivar grown three plants per 25-cm containers in Encinitas,Calif. For the first six weeks after planting, plants were grown inplastic-covered greenhouses with average day and night temperatures of23.3 and 18.9° C., respectively, and light levels averaging 3,000foot-candles. Plants were then grown in full sun for about 12 weeks withday and night temperatures averaging 18 and 13° C., respectively, andlight levels averaging 8,000 foot-candles.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance areused.

Botanical classification: Petunia axillaris cultivar Cobink.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Proprietary Petunia axillaris selection identified asX96.410.1, not patented.

Male parent.—Petunia axillaris cultivar Silk Road, U.S. Plant patentapplication filed concurrently.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days at 22° C.

Time to produce a rooted liner.—About 21 days at 22° C.

Root description.—Fine, fibrous.

Plant description:

Form.—Indeterminate; mounded and outwardly spreading.

Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets and various sizes of patiocontainers.

Plant height (from soil level to top of plant plane).—About 18 cm.

Area of spread.—About 37 cm.

Vigor.—Vigorous; moderate growth rate.

Branching habit.—Very freely branching with about 22 lateral branchesper plant; dense and bushy plants.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 27 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Internodelength: About 1.2 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144B.

Foliage description.—Leaves simple, generally symmetrical and longpersisting. Leaf arrangement alternate before flowering, opposite afterflowering. Quantity per lateral branch: Typically more than 50. Length:About 4.9 cm. Width: About 2.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Rounded. Base:Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture: Scattered pubescence on bothsurfaces, coarse; grandular, viscid. Color: Young foliage, uppersurface: 146A. Young foliage, lower surface: 146B. Mature foliage, uppersurface: 147A; venation, 146B. Mature foliage, lower surface: 147B,venation, 146C. Petiole: Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.Color: 146C.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Double pink flowers; flowers face upward andoutward; single, axillary. Flowers persistent. Flowering continuous.

Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; flowering from springthrough fall.

Quantity.—Freely flowering with about 80 flowers per plant.

Fragrance.—Not detected.

Flower longevity on the plant.—About 4 to 7 days.

Flower buds (showing color).—Length: About 2.7 cm. Diameter: About 1.3cm. Shape: Obovoid. Color: 68C.

Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Outer whorl of about five petals, fusedinto a flared trumpet, ruffled; typically more than 10 inner petaloids,separate and gathered at base, curled towards apex, petaloids irregularin shape and size. Flower diameter: About 6 cm. Flower tube length:About 2.5 cm. Flower throat diameter, distal end: About 1.5 cm. Flowertube diameter, proximal end: About 5 mm. Petal length from throat: About2.5 cm. Petal width: About 2.8 cm. Petal shape: Ruffled fan-shaped.Petal apex: Rounded. Petal margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth, velvety;somewhat viscid. Color: Petal, upper surface, when opening: 73A to 73B.Petal, lower surface, when opening: 68D. Petal, upper surface, openedflower: 68A at apex, becoming lighter, 68B and 68C, towards base;venation, 145A and 184A. Color fading to 68C with subsequentdevelopment. Petal, lower surface, opened flower: 68B to 68C; venation,145A. Flower throat (inside): 150D to 150C towards base; venation, 145Aand 184A. Flower tube (outside): 150D; venation, 145A and 184A.

Sepals.—Quantity: Five. Shape: Narrow, strap-like. Apex: Rounded.Margin: Entire. Aspect: Upright. Texture: Smooth. Color: Upper surface:147A. Lower surface: 147B.

Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Angle: About 45° to stem. Length: About 3.5cm. Color: 145A.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Stamen number: About 15, some fused topetaloids. Anther shape: Ovoid. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color:157C. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 157D. Pistils: Pistil length:About 1 cm. Stigma shape: Flattened. Stigma color: 145A. Style length:About 3 mm. Style color: 145A. Ovary color: 145A.

Seed.—Seed production has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens common to Petunia has notbeen observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named‘Cobink’, as illustrated and described.